SURREY 57 



that pack for three seasons after he left Sir BelHngham Graham, 

 and who, no doubt, will soon restore the Union to their former 

 celebrity. He only came to them in the month of June last ; but 

 all those who know anything of hunting are aware how much may 

 be done with hounds by what is called " summer work," and two 

 good months' cub-hunting in the autumn. 



As every situation in life serves for formation of character, so the 

 biography of a good huntsman is as interesting to a sportsman as 

 that of Sir Isaac Newton to a philosopher. When a great Personage 

 introduced a celebrated sportsman some years since on the race- 

 course at Bibury, in my hearing, to the late Lord (then General) 

 Lake, he added these words to the introduction :— " Two such great 



men In their loay as Mr. and General Lake should be known to 



each other." A little sketch, then, of Christopher Atkins, whom I 

 have known for many years, may not be unamusing. 



Kitt (for that is the name by which he is best known amongst us) 

 first started in life— and no bad start either— with riding exercise in 

 Lord Strathmore's racing stables ; and, when that Nobleman died, 

 was transferred to Sir Bellingham Graham in the same capacity. 

 Sir Bellingham was also at that time making his dehilt in the sport- 

 ing world with a pack of harriers, to which Kitt was appointed 

 whipper-in. At this period the greatest intimacy subsisted between 

 Sir Godfrey Webster and Sir Bellingham. The harriers were taken 

 into Sussex, where the woods of Battle Abbey resounded to their 

 cry. Hares, however, were thought to be too humble game, and a 

 stag was sometimes turned out for the day's diversion. 



Soon after this Sir Bellingham took to the Badsworth hounds in 

 the Ferrybridge country, which he kept at his own expense for 

 three years, and to which Kitt was second whipper-in— Jack being 

 first, who, as well as Kitt, remained with Sir Bellingham till he 

 took the Quorn country, when the former went as huntsman to the 

 Badsworth, and the latter to the Worcestershire. From the 

 Worcestershire— with which pack he gave unbounded satisfaction— 

 Kitt came to the Union. Kitt only weighs nine stone. He is a par- 

 ticularly good horseman, and, when with Sir BeUingham, had 

 generally the office of making his young horses into hunters, and he 

 was (I think) nine years in his service. I once saw his nerve put 



